Tuesday, January 29, 2019

April Andrews is back with another Omega Auctions book -- Omega Abducted. This is the ninth in the series, and I hear there is a plan for a 10th, as well!

***

Alexander may have been born into a pack, but he was never a wolf. Cursed with a defect that not only stopped him from shifting, but also from heeding the call of the pack, Alexander escaped into the human world and made his fortune.

But, during those years, all those long years living a human life, Alexander never forgot one aspect of his former life. That there, in the wolf world, his mate awaited him.

Now, with the wolf shifters deep in civil war, and a shady human organization planning to take advantage of that fact, Alexander realizes it is time to claim his male and take him away from the chaos that is to come. At least, that’s the plan… but Alexander’s mate might have other ideas entirely…

The ballroom that Alexander Lupin found himself in on a cold, rainy night was a perfect circle—or at least as perfect a circle as human hands could make. In the middle of that ballroom was a circular stage. Around that stage were over a dozen circular tables. And, if that wasn’t enough, the golden lights suspended above him, dozens and dozens of them, were also circular, or spheres he supposed. The only break in the smooth curves came from the people who were busy making their way into the ballroom, taking their seats at the tables or simply mingling with one another.

Alex didn’t know any of these people, and for some reason their hard angles against the multitude of circles and spheres made him angrier than he had been when he’d arrived just a handful of minutes ago. It took quite a bit of composure to stop the scowl he could feel bubbling within from showing up on his face, because scowls, frowns, grimaces—none of them would be acceptable here. Or perhaps it was better to say that none of theemotionsbeneath them were welcome.

Annoyance.

Irritation.

Anger.

They had no place in a room where the people were all smiling, all laughing, all happy with anticipation.

As Alex scanned the room, taking in everything around him—the circles, the people, the atmosphere—he wondered where his anticipation was. Hadn’t he worked towards this for over three years? Hadn’t he spent tens of thousands of dollars to even be allowed in the same room as these people? Surely, and despite the anger, he should be feeling some excitement? Some eagerness for what was about to happen.

Only, Alex didn’t. He was annoyed by what he could see here. He was pissed off that this place even existed. And he was fucking furious that these people were happy. But then, he’d known for a long time that he would feel this way once he was actually inside. It couldn’t be helped. Was to be expected.

What he was surprised about, what he hadn’t expected, was how nervous he was. Though surely, he should have expected that? Early mornings, late nights, and everything in between, had brought him to this point. So much rested on what was to happen over the next few hours. It would be weird if he wasn’t nervous.

It all came down to this.

He let out a shaky breath at that thought, swiftly followed by a careful exhale. The people continued to flow into the ballroom, a steady stream of them making their way to their seats, smiling and chatting with each other as they passed by. They were all human, there was no question of that. Alex might not be a proper shifter, but he was still, somewhere deep inside, wolf enough to recognize one of his kin.

There were no wolves in this room.

No alphas.

No betas.

And certainly, no omegas.

Just humans. Rich humans. Pampered humans. Humans who demanded things that they shouldn’t even know about, never mind covet. And yet, they did.

The anger, the irritation, the annoyance, it all rose again. Sharp. Biting. Alex drew in another deep breath. He had to keep some fucking control! He was here for one reason and one reason only, and he had to remember that. Remember how important it was.

With that thought in mind, Alex moved away from his spot at the very edge of the ballroom and began to make his way across the circular space. He narrowed his eyes on the path in front of him, looking as he did so for the table that he was supposed to sit at. The encrypted message he had received early Monday morning had made it quite clear that his seat was allocatedonlyto him, and that he should sit onlythere. The message had included other information as well. Where tonight’s ‘event’ was taking place, what time he was supposed to arrive, and what method of payment he should bring.

Payment…

Alex clenched his fists as he continued walking, winding around the tables, past the happy people, the glow of the spheres seeming to heat him from above. He was almost there, at his seat, when something hit his shoulder. Alex turned, scowl still buried deep, fists no longer clenched, to see a woman—dressed head to toe in red—stepping away from him. He shot her a brief look, and she returned it with what could only be described as a soft sigh.

“Apologies,” she said after a moment. “I didn’t see you there.”

Alex was over six feet tall and wide enough that the woman would have to be near blind not to have noticed him.

“It is not a problem,” he said, and he really tried to keep his voice as smooth and non-threatening as possible.

Perhaps he was unsuccessful? Or, perhaps the woman just liked what she saw? Either way, she arched a perfectly manicured brow and let out another soft sigh.

“At the very least I should get you a drink,” she said. “To apologize for the inconvenience.”

“It is no inconvenience,” Alex replied even as he recognized the look that was now stamped firmly across the woman-in-red’s face.

Lust.

Desire.

Hunger.

It was always the way with human women. And, the worst of it was that they didn’t even realize that they hungered because of what he was. That on some level, buried deep, subconscious even, they understood that he was different, andthat, not him, was what they responded to. Still, it was fucking annoying, and Alex had dealt with women like this for more years that he cared to remember. Not just women but men too.

Humans.

Alex lived with them. In their world. By necessity he had built his own life within it. But it was at times like this when he ached for the world he had once known. The world he could never return to.

A world he didn’t belong in.

He opened his mouth to reply to the woman, though he wasn’t even sure what he planned to say, when a male—a human male—appeared at her shoulder. The man had to be sixty if he was a day and he reeked of money, from his silvered hair all the way to his polished shoes. Alex had met plenty of males like this during his time in the human world. Money talked here. It was what the humans used to establish dominance. How different it was from the shifter world where strength mattered above everything else.

“Are you joining our table?” the male asked, gesturing to where Alex was supposed to sit.

His voice was friendly, interested. Alex looked from him to the red-clad woman, quickly establishing their relationship. Lovers, what else, but more on his part than hers. Though Alex did not doubt that the rubies that dripped from her ears and her neck more than made up for any negative emotions she might feel about their arrangement.

“I am,” Alex said.

The other man smiled and held out a hand. “Tomas.”

“Alexander.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Tomas said as he waved them towards their seats.

The other seats were empty for now. The woman in red took the seat next to Alex. Was it even hers? Did she care? Was she rich enough that it wouldn’t matter, even here, in this group, at this event? Alex didn’t know but he considered it as he sat down, considered her and Tomas, and wondered exactly how many of these events they had attended and what had happened at the end of them...

“Are you hoping for anything in particular tonight?” Tomas asked as drinks were poured for them. Alex had no intention of drinking. As a rule, he simply didn’t. There was much that happened in the human world that Alex didn’t take part in.

“Nothing in particular,” Alex said slowly.

Tomas grinned. “Keeping your cards close to your chest?”

“Something like that.”

“We’re here for Monique,” Tomas said, waving a hand at his lover. She had her body angled to Alex, eyes fixed on him with that same, familiar hunger. “She has a hankering for a new companion,” Tomas continued. “The last one didn’t work out.”

“He worked out for a little while,” Monique said.

Tomas laughed. She shot him a playful smile. It took Alex only a moment to understand exactly what they were saying, and though he had wondered, part of him wished he didn’t know the answer. The anger hit all over again. It was a painfully physical thing. Alex wrapped his hand around his still-full glass in an effort to find some self-control. Others arrived at the table as he struggled for that control.

A man.

A woman.

Another couple.

Introductions were made, pleasantries swapped, questions asked. Alex joined in only because he had to, only because it would be suspicious if he didn’t. But, with every greeting, every remark, every smile, the anger remained. And, it was ridiculous, because he’d known why these people were here. He’d known exactly what they were planning. And, wasn’t he here for the exact same reason? Hadn’t he spent all that money to be given the same chance that these people had?

To buy an omega.

A wolf shifter all of their own.

Only difference was, Alex wasn’t here to buy just any omega, he was here to buy his mate.

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Welcome A.M. Arthur back to Sunday Spotlight. She's sharing a bit from her new release -- Heart of Us (Us #4). It sounds amazing!

Charles “Chet” Greenwood has everything he’s ever wanted: a home, a stable business, and strong, loving relationships with his two boyfriends. In the year since he’s been with Cris and Jake, they’ve always agreed on one thing to keep their triad strong: communication is key. Which is why it hurts that lately Jake seems to be hiding something. Before Chet and Cris can find out what, a tragic phone call forces Chet and his nephew Dell to return to their Georgia hometown for a funeral—and to finally confront the bigoted family they left behind.

Jake Bowden never imagined he’d go from an exotic dancer to a professional cook in the space of a year, but here he is. He’s also secretly looking at top culinary schools, but the requirements are way beyond Jake’s abilities. And going to school could take him away from his boyfriends—which might actually be for the best. Chet and Cris have so much history together, are always in sync, and when Jake can’t get time off to support Chet, he feels even more like the odd man out.

Cris Sable knows something is going on with Jake, and he hates leaving Jake behind for two days to attend a funeral, but Chet and Dell need his support—especially with Dell’s own boyfriend unable to make the trip. Cris checks in with Jake constantly while they’re away, and even after their trio returns home, Cris knows something is still wrong. But it gets lost in the aftermath of an unbelievable secret reveal.

While in Georgia, Chet received shocking news about his own past that will change everything about his future, and it rocks their triad to its core. But Cris loves and believes in his men, and he will do everything in his power to keep their three hearts beating as one.

AUTHOR NOTE: This is an m/m/m romance with kinky three-way sex between consenting adults. The “Us” series is best read in numerical order.

Dell let himself out, and Charles locked the door for the evening. The faint hum of voices drew him through the kitchen and into the den, where his boyfriends were sprawled together on the sofa, watching television. Charles had walked quietly enough that they hadn’t heard his approach, and he wasn’t surprised, since both men were likely distracted by Cristian’s hand down Jake’s pants.

Charles took in the beautiful sight. Cristian Sable had height and muscles on the much slimmer Jake Bowden, and Jake was slotted between Cristian’s legs, Cristian’s back propped against the arm of the sofa. Neither man was naked, but Cristian’s hand moved in a steady up-and-down inside of Jake’s pants, and the position was both casual and possessive.

The complicated dance that eventually brought their threesome together had begun almost a year ago, but Charles’s feelings for Cristian had been in place for years. He thanked God each and every day that they’d found each other and were making it work, one day at a time.

In moments like these, when he could observe the pair from a distance, Charles also felt a pang of wistfulness. To be that young again, in his twenties like his boyfriends, still discovering what life was all about. Charles had far too much life experience under his belt. Twenty more years than Cristian and twenty-five more than Jake. The pair would still be young and beautiful when Charles was old and wrinkly. But whatever their reasons, they loved Charles for everything he was, and he loved them in return.

For as long as they wanted him.

“Fuck, you’re such a tease,” Jake said.

“You dared me,” Cristian replied in a tone Charles knew all too well.

“I did not. What I said was ‘how do you not get hard knowing they’re filming porn downstairs?’ You said ‘Years of knowing how hard they’re working to stay up.’”

“And then what did you say?”

Jake grumped.

“Yes, what did you say to Cristian?” Charles asked.

The pair startled, but Cristian never stopped stroking Jake. Jake rolled his eyes. “Okay, maybe I kind of dared him when I asked how long he thought he could keep me hard without letting me come.”

“Oh? And how long has it been?”

Cristian beamed at him. “Two hours. He’s starting to get a little feisty about it, and my hand is cramping.”

“Well then, how about I take over for a while?”

Jake squawked, but didn’t protest. Charles and Cristian swapped places, and Charles eagerly accepted Jake’s warm, lean body against his. Slid his hand under Jake’s underwear to clasp his cock. Jake humped back against Charles’s crotch, teasing him until Charles had a semi going. He rarely got hard during shoots, because he’d trained his body to know what was work and what was play, and his body very much loved how Jake played.

Charles stroked Jake’s erection in a loose, lazy grip. “So, Cristian, what are we watching while we torture Jake?”

“Well, we were watching an action movie that ended a little while ago,” Cristian replied as he sat on the other end of the couch. Put Jake’s feet in his lap to massage. “Maybe we should put some porn on to mess with his head.”

“You guys suck,” Jake said with a petulant whine.

“Yes, we do.” Cristian leered. “And very well, I might add.”

“Just think of your future orgasm,” Charles added. “Delayed gratification isn’t something we’ve done much, but it can be amazing. Especially for young brats who like to tease their elders.”

“Ugh.” For all Jake’s protests, he didn’t get up, or take matters into his own hands. He gave in to whatever game Charles and Cristian decided to play, which meant his protests were part of the game. He was definitely enjoying himself.

In the nine-ish months since they’d declared themselves a throuple, Charles was absolutely learning to read his men.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Here's an exclusive excerpt from my Omegaverse Short Story coming in the Cupid's Errors Anthology on January 30th!~unedited version~Tulla stiffened as he watched the alpha he’d been eyeing all night started heading his way. He was alone in his corner, so there was no one else the man would be heading toward. He brushed something from his lap, trying not to look as if he was paying any attention, even as his heart beat grew and his breathing was strained.Tingles of electricity raced over his flesh, leaving goose bumps in their wake. Every nerve in his body was on fire and he felt like jumping up and twirling fast just to cool himself off.“Hi.”Tulla lifted his stare to the man, now draped in as much shadow as he. He’d been able to see some from across the ballroom, but not in fine detail. Closer wasn’t much better without the light to aid him. “Hello.”“I thought you might be thirsty.” The alpha lifted a cup. “I brought you a drink.”He took a deep breath before lifting his hands, fearful there would be a tremor. Finally, he reached for the cup. The alpha moved it forward and it splashed some as it knocked into his hand.“Damn, I’m sorry,” the alpha said before taking it back a bit. “I didn’t mean to make a mess.”“It’s fine.” Fortunately, Tulla had a napkin in one hand, a leftover from his stroll along the refreshments earlier that night. He wiped the wetness away… and then lifted his hand to lick some of the sticker bits.And he heard the alpha inhale.Tulla’s stare went to the man’s, but in the dark it was hard to see any emotion… yet he could feel it. He was being watched as he cleaned his hand… and he liked being watched. Dropping his hand, he cleaned the last of it with the napkin.
“Should we try that again?” the alpha asked, lifting the cup once more.“Don’t move,” Tulla instructed before taking what was left in the cup. His fingers brushed against the alpha’s and he felt heat leeching into him. It raced up his arm and hit him straight in the chest.Want.He could barely breathe from it.“Do you mind if I sit for a moment?”Tulla shook his head before lifting the cup to his lips. He was parched, his mouth as dry as a desert. Thankfully, his knight in shining armor had brought him something to drink.“You’ve been hiding here in the shadows all night. Are you afraid to show your face?”Tulla heard the joking tone to the man’s voice and decided to run with it. “I am. I’m ugly. The ugliest omega here.”“Ah, I see. I’m nothing to look at myself, either.”A lie. Even from across the room, Tulla had been able to tell he was handsome. And vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t come up with a name or memory of meeting the guy. “No, you’re not all that, are you?”The alpha chuckled and pushed his glasses up on his nose. The way he did it was endearing somehow and Tulla thought he could continue looking at the man push his glasses up his regal nose for the rest of his years.What the hell am I thinking?“I suppose that means you’ve been watching me tonight, if you noticed how unattractive I am.”Tulla fought a smile. “How could I ignore you. You’ve been staring over here all night.”The alpha turned his head toward him. “I kept thinking how lucky you were to have this dark corner all to yourself and how much I wished I was home right now instead of here.”“Why did you come, then?”“My parents have been nagging me about finding a mate. So, I decided I’d at least put on a show of it. My cat can live without me for one night, right?”Tulla grinned. “He might be glad to be rid of you for the evening.”“Probably is,” the alpha replied, and Tulla could hear the smile on his lips. “But then, there’s no one there to give him rubs and treats, so he might end up missing me after all.”“You hope so, hmm?”“I do. He’s the only thing willing to look at this ugly mug of mine for any length of time.”“I’m glad you found someone willing.”“Seriously. I’ve already been informed I’m a bad match by a few omegas here tonight.”Tulla perked up a little, curious if he was joking or serious. “Oh really? Do tell.”

Welcome Stephani Hecht back to Sunday Spotlight! She's here sharing her soon to release book, Baily's Ninth Life (The Lost Shifters, Book 33)

* * * *

Baily learned to distrust other shifters through their treatment of him. As a housecat shifter, he’s not exactly the strongest shifter. To compensate, he’s become one of best soldiers for the Coalition. He’s made a place for himself with friends but he doesn’t truly believe they won’t turn on him.

Caden learned to distrust other shifters from birth. His grandfather taught him and his brother to avoid all Packs, Clowders, and Coalitions no matter what. All those lessons will be challenged when a stray cat claims a spot in his bar and maybe his heart. Together,

Baily and Caden, must re-learn the lessons of their lives. That not all shifters are against them. A trip with the leadership of the Coalition to a secret cabin might be the turning point. That maybe they can believe in other shifters, each other and love.

Excerpt:
Baily fumed as he let the lesser hottie treat his wounds. Meanwhile, he glowered at hottie number one as he thought about all the mean things he wanted to say to him once he got his damn collar off. And there was plenty Baily had to say.First off, it didn’t matter that he was a Cat shifter. He could kick ass with the best of them, thank you very much. Sure he may not be able to shift and rip the throats of their enemies out, but he was one of the best sharpshooters in the Coalition. Something that had taken hours of practice to earn.
Secondly, he was not mangy. Okay, maybe he did look a bit on the rough side, but he’d been through some pretty tough shit. First, that stupid Frog captured him, then it hadn’t been easy going since he’d escaped. For some insane reason, it seemed as if every shifter in the city was hunting him down.
All of that had reduced Baily to hiding in the shadows, dumpsters and dark corners as he tried to make his way back to the Coalition. Then he’d happened upon the bar. When he’d caught a whiff of feline rolling off the bartender taking out the trash, Baily had dashed inside. He’d hoped the guy would be able to get in touch with Mitchell. Baily had heard rumors of two feline shifters who owned a bar in the city.
Instead, the bartender ended up not knowing Mitchell at all. Which made perfect fucking sense, since the only luck Baily had been having lately had been the shitty kind. That’s when he remembered that the rest of the rumors about how the bar owners were skittish around other shifters and didn’t interact with them at all. So, they probably hadn’t ever met Mitchell at all.
“Caden, are you sure you don’t want to take him in and get him fixed?” asked the younger brother.
As if! Baily had to pull in the urge to bite the dick’s finger off. He only refrained because Caden was pretty damn hot and he probably wouldn’t like it if Baily maimed his brother. But that didn’t stop Baily from hissing at the jerk.
“I don’t think he likes the idea,” Caden said. “Maybe, you should stop suggesting it, Jozef.”
If Baily could have, he would have given a sly grin. Then Jozef poked at his side and Baily let out a yelp. Damn it, that hurt. He’d gotten it when he’d crawled through a broken window to get away from those weird bird shifters. They’d been the worst when it came to hunting him down. It was almost as if they had some special recipe they were dying to make and the secret ingredient was Baily tail.
To make sure that Jozef got the message loud and clear that there would be no snipping of any body parts, Baily swiped his paw out and hit the male in his thigh. It wasn’t exactly the target Baily was aiming for, but it still got his point across. Jozef let out a yelp as he jumped back, his brown eyes wide in shock.
“What the fuck? Are you sure this thing isn’t a shifter?” Jozef demanded.
“I’m pretty sure, but you’re the one who should know for sure. You almost graduated from college to be a vet, not me,” Caden replied, his voice breathless because he was laughing so hard.
Jozef stooped down so he could look Baily directly in the eyes. Baily tried his best to make his expression as human as possible. If he could get these two lone shifters to believe he really was a shifter then maybe they would contact the Coalition for him. Then they could send for help and he could go home. Although, it would be a damn shame to have to leave Caden behind. Then again, there was nothing that said Baily couldn’t come back to visit the sexy bartender.
“Shift for me,” Jozef commanded.
Baily huffed in irritation. Didn’t they see the damn anti-shifting collar on his neck? Then a horrifying thought occurred to Baily. What if they didn’t know about the collars and the power they had over Baily? Oh, shit. That would not be good for him. Then they would think he was a regular cat for sure and no help would be coming Baily’s way.It wasn’t as if Baily could just pick up a pen or pencil either. Cats didn’t have any thumbs. Which meant he couldn’t write a letter. He thought frantically for another way to communicate. He recalled reading a book by Dean Koontz where a genius dog communicated with Scrabble tiles, but Baily didn’t see one of those games lying around. So, unless he managed to find a computer and could log on, he was screwed.
“Nope, he’s not a shifter. Just a weird-o,” Jozef proclaimed as he straightened up.
Oh, just you wait until I get this damn collar off. Then we’ll see who the weird-o is, you son-of-a-bitch. I’ll kick your ass from here to Pontiac. Then you’ll be sorry for calling me mangy and threatening to cut my balls off.
Then Caden came over and began to stroke Baily’s head and all his dark thoughts floated away. Normally, he hated it when others petted him that way. It reminded him that he wasn’t a true predator, but a domestic pet. It made him feel weak and a joke. Yet, when Caden did it, Baily wanted to purr and rub himself all over the bartender. He even smelled nice. Like a warm whiskey with some spices mixed in. Which was odd that Baily found so appealing given that shifters didn’t drink that kind of stuff.
“You almost seem disappointed,” Jozef remarked.
“I’m not. Besides, it’s not like I could have done anything even if was a shifter. You know the rules, we don’t make nice with other shifters,” Caden replied, still stroking Baily’s fur.
That was an odd statement. It made Baily wonder what happened in their past that made them so leery of others of their own kind. At first, he’d just assumed they were Lost Shifters, part of the generation of felines who’d been lost over two decades ago during the Great Raven Attack. Now he wasn’t so sure. By the way, they were talking, he had a feeling there was a lot more to their story.

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Welcome Susi Hawke to Sunday Spotlight! She's here to share a bit from Home in Austin (Lone Star Brothers, Book 4)

Take one pregnant omega who’s all alone in the world…

After accidentally getting pregnant by his best friend and occasional hookup buddy, Owen Grant finds himself on his own… again. After being abandoned at birth and growing up in the foster system, he’s used to having to say goodbye. If he's learned one lesson in life, it's this: people don't stay.

Add in one alpha who just won’t leave…

Austin Logan is a quirky alpha who’s accepted that he’ll never marry and have a family of his own. His focus is on being the favorite uncle to all of his brothers' kids. He’s happy with the well-maintained and structured routine of his life, and doesn’t need anything more.

Mix in one fake marriage of convenience…

Meeting Owen shakes things up in Austin’s world. He has to beg and barter with the guy to convince him to accept his help, even going so far as to sign a prenup that absolves Owen of any rights to Austin’s wealth, just to get him to agree to a fake marriage that will provide him with the medical insurance he so desperately needs for himself and his unborn child.

And remember not to fall in love with your fake groom!

What happens when your fake husband turns out to be an awesome dad to your child and doesn’t seem in any hurry to let you go? And what if you slowly find yourself falling for the stranger you married? You sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

This is the final book in the Lone Star Brothers series. This mm book contains mpreg, and is intended for 18+ readers. This 60k novel is a slow-burn strangers to friends to lovers romance with all the feels you’re used to from Susi Hawke, and definitely includes an HEA and all the laughs, naughty-knotty times, and family fun you’d expect!

Austin winced, but kept pushing. "I figured that's probably what you were thinking, so how about this then—we'll get married on paper, but you can still work for me if that makes you feel better." He looked around his pristine office. It hadn't escaped my notice that every room in his house was perfectly organized and clean—it was as if dust were afraid to even show its filthy face in his presence. I snorted, biting back a serious case of giggles at the next words to come out of his mouth. "You can just… I don’t know, dust or something. You know, do a little light housekeeping, if it makes you feel like you're paying your own way."

"I'm not saying yes." I held up my hand before he could distract me from finishing my thought. "But I'm also thinking that you're going to keep this up until you wear me down, aren’t you? So I have one question for you. If I were to agree to this whole marriage of convenience idea, would you at least be willing to let me sign a prenup? Because fake or not, if we are married, I'd have access to your money and I don't need your family to think that's what I'm after."

"You're amazing." Austin chuckled. "Not only am I having to barter and wheedle to get you to accept my help, but you're probably the first person in history to insist upon a prenup which favors the other person rather than yourself. But sure, if it’ll put your mind at ease then I'll have my attorneys draw one up, and I’m adding in a part where it’s my job to take care of you, because I have a bad feeling you’re going to be stubborn when it comes to letting me protect you."

"Owen," Austin groaned with a patient smile. "Let me put it to you like this. You will be living in my house… cleaning said house, and probably even helping to cook meals, right?" At my nod, he flashed me a smug smile. "Well, the only difference between doing all of that and being a husband is a piece of paper and sex. I don't require sex, but the piece of paper will mean the difference for you and your baby." He pouted playfully, giving me the cutest case of puppy dog eyes I'd ever seen. "Let me help your son, Owen. Like Houston said, won't somebody think of the children?"

"Fine," I said with a groan as if I were the one being put out by his generous offer. "You'd better call your attorney, though. I mean it, Austin. I'm not marrying you until after I’ve signed that prenuptial agreement."

"I'll get it handled right now, and we can probably get married tomorrow. I would say today, but I need to get to the hospital and meet Rose, my newest niece." He stretched across the desk, holding his phone out to show me a picture on the screen of an adorable newborn in a pink knitted hat and swaddled in a blanket.

"She's precious." I smiled, then wagged my finger at him again. "And you’d better make sure your attorneys put in the agreement that I'm not entitled to one penny of your money when we eventually divorce. And if, God forbid, anything should happen to you, I want it noted that the estate goes to your rightful heirs, not me as your legal spouse." I felt silly, making such a big deal out of the money—but I wanted to make it clear that I had no designs on his bank account.

Austin merely lifted a brow as he put his phone back down. "While I'm at it, shall I have them list everything else we discussed? Am I supposed to kick you out on your ass at some point if you forget to dust or don't help with cooking?" He slid his glasses back on as he continued to tease. "And maybe I should also have them include an ironclad clause about sex not being on the table? I mean, if I'm to be protected, it should probably also be clear in black and white that you're not allowed to ask for sex, right? After all, I wouldn’t want to be taken advantage of in my sleep or something."

"You're impossible." I giggled. "I feel like you're trying to get me to tell you to just forget the whole prenup idea by shocking me with that sex clause." Dropping my legs, I scooted to the edge of the chair and leaned forward. "But see, here's what you don't know about me. I like a challenge, and I don't get embarrassed that easily. In fact, you can just go ahead and put your sex clause in. I'll still sign the document with a flourish."

You’re a dirty liar, Josh’s voice taunted in my head. You’re going to blush like a chimney on fire if you have to sign something with a sex clause.

"I'm almost tempted to, just to see the look on my stuffy-assed attorney's face," Austin said with a chuckle. He picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts while he muttered under his breath, still chuckling. "Sex clause. I've got your sex clause—hanging."

I leaned back in my chair and examined my fingernails with a detached expression on my face. "Sorry, but in my experience, that hanging thing you're referring to is probably more along the lines of a dangling participle, if you feel the need to brag."